The Stuff of Legend Volume 2: The Jungle, Part 1

Written by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith
Art by Charles Paul Wilson III

The Stuff of Legend is an incredibly charming and enjoyable book.  There are a few things about this latest issue that I don't get though.  First, I don't really understand why the creators have considered this a second volume; the story is clearly a continuation of the first volume, and there does not appear to be any thematic difference.  Secondly, I don't understand why this volume is named 'The Jungle', as while there is some discussion of a jungle, none of the characters reach it, and it does not factor into the story.  Were these volumes more than two issues long, I wouldn't be concerned about that, but it just seems odd to me the way Th3rd World are doing things.

As for the book itself, it is just as good as the first two issues were.  The story of a group of brave toys that have traveled into The Dark to rescue their owner from the Boogeyman is simple on the surface, but is richly layered with character interaction and beautiful artwork.  As the toys flee the Boogeyman's forces, they run into some trouble, and then hole up in an abandoned Zoo.  That's basically all that happens, but the book stays suspenseful and interesting throughout.